Massive wildfires raging in drought-stricken southern Chile have wiped out hundreds of plant species, and are now threatening animal life and a national park as well, officials warned Saturday.
"We are witnessing a massive environmental catastrophe" in southern Chile, Accion Ecologica chief Luis Mariano Rendon told AFP from Mexico.
"There have been whole species lost, such as the Araucaria araucana (monkey puzzle tree). They are trees that take hundreds of years to reach maturity. So this is a practically irreparable loss for current generations."
The trees, a distant relative of better known pine, are considered sacred by indigenous Mapuche people.
And Chile itself has declared them part of its unique national natural heritage.
Fires in the country's south have ravaged more than 3,700 hectares (9,100 acres) of forest, and have been contained but not put out entirely, firefighters said.
There are still 25 active fires, potentially threatening Conguillio National Park.
GMT 11:09 2018 Tuesday ,23 January
Dimming the Sun to cool Earth could ravage wildlifeGMT 06:13 2018 Saturday ,20 January
Facebook top choice for Philippines wildlife tradersGMT 07:20 2018 Sunday ,14 January
Wolf found in northern Belgium, first time in over 100 yearsGMT 01:21 2017 Friday ,17 November
Malaysia rescues 140 pangolins from suspected smugglersGMT 20:14 2017 Thursday ,26 October
'Idiots of the century' swim in baited croc trapGMT 20:09 2017 Thursday ,26 October
India man-eating tiger dies after being electrocutedGMT 19:24 2017 Thursday ,26 October
Human remains found in large Australian crocGMT 19:19 2017 Thursday ,26 October
Japan zoo mourns death of love-struck penguinMaintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©
Send your comments
Your comment as a visitor